Valheim Dedicated Server Hosting on GlassHosting

Why a dedicated Valheim server

Valheim co-op on a listen host works until the host sleeps, updates Steam mid-raid, or sits behind residential CGNAT. Friends time out, world progress stalls, and someone always asks “is the server up?” A dedicated Valheim instance on GlassHosting (Glass Gaming — powered by GlassHosting) stays on in a datacenter so the group can join on their own schedule.

This guide is the main-site hub for first launch: panel start, ports, password, world identity, and how friends join. Deeper ticket-style how-tos live in the Valheim knowledgebase.

Order, then open the game panel

After checkout, open your Valheim service in panel.glasshosting.com. Note the allocated public IP and the primary game port shown for the service. You will share that address with friends later—do not invent a home router port forward.

New to the panel? Skim game panel beginner guide for console, files, SFTP, and safe restarts.

Configure name, world, and password before first start

In the panel startup / configuration variables:

Server name — something your friends will recognize in Join Game lists.
World name — this is the save identity. Keep it stable. Changing the world name starts a fresh world; progress does not follow a rename.
Password — required for private communities. Share it only with your group (not a public Discord channel).
Crossplay — enable only if your plan/options expose it and your friends need it; otherwise leave defaults alone on day one.

Do not leave a blank password on a public-facing Valheim server. Treat join credentials like any other shared secret.

UDP ports Valheim actually uses

Valheim gameplay is UDP, not “open every TCP port and hope.” On GlassHosting the panel shows your assigned game port. The dedicated server also expects the next two consecutive UDP ports (game port, game port + 1, and game port + 2).

You do not need to configure home router forwarding for a GlassHosting dedicated server—the datacenter path already publishes the allocation. If friends still cannot join, verify you shared the panel IP and primary game port, that the server console shows the world loaded, and that they are using the password you set. Related background: CGNAT explained and home Wi-Fi vs datacenter.

Start clean and watch the console

Click Start in the panel.
Watch the console until the world finishes loading and the server reports it is listening.
Do not invite the full group while the process is still installing or mid-boot.

If boot fails, stop, check startup variables (especially world name and password), and start again. Avoid rapid restart loops that interrupt saves.

How friends join

Friends join from Valheim’s in-game Join Game / IP join flow using:

The public IP from the panel
The primary game port
The server password you configured

Have one trusted friend smoke-test before you announce to everyone. Confirm they load into the correct world and that building/combat feels normal. If only some platforms fail, revisit crossplay settings rather than wiping the world.

World saves and backups

World files live under the server file system (typically the worlds folder). Before experiments, mods, or major config changes:

Stop the server cleanly from the panel so saves flush.
Download the world folder via File Manager or SFTP, or create a named panel backup.
Keep the same world name when you want to continue progress.

Named backups beat “I think there was an auto copy.” Related habit for any Glass Gaming title: backups before mods.

Private Viking co-op checklist

Password set and shared off public channels
World name locked for the season (no casual renames)
One friend join smoke-test before group announce
Named backup before updates or file experiments
Console clean on boot (no repeated crash loops)
Join info is panel IP + port — not a home LAN address

Related guides

MSP note

GlassHosting runs Valheim as always-on Glass Gaming capacity—panel control, datacenter connectivity, and backup hygiene—not a PC that sleeps after work. Order or manage plans at billing.glasshosting.com; operate day-to-day at panel.glasshosting.com.